This is my first time officially posting on here, but i’ve been reading and following T-mag and the forums for about a year or more. Here goes.
I started a brand new part time job at a really well known gym if that’s what you wan’t to call it It was suppose to be pretty pud as from what I understood. My duties were to supervise the weightroom, pick up weights, and introduce new members to the weight machines and cardio equipment. That and nothing more.
First day on the job I get the quick run through of the complex from my supervisor, wich was lame being that I’ve always trained there. She gives me an idiots guide to Personal Training and said " Well read some of this, help out and meet everyone."
THAT WAS IT! That was my only formal training. WHAM! welcome to your new job! Thrown to the wolves.
So with the help of a good friend and t-mag forum regular I’ve learned to deal with this and how to handle my own as much as I can.
Here comes the kicker though. Before the start of my 2nd day of work, I get a phone call from my supervisor saying " Do you think you’re ready to go one on one with a new member tonight?" Like actually go through create a program, run him through the routine and go over any other training questions and nutritional questions. I didn’t mind the nutrition questions being that I use to manage a GNC, and not your half assed retards wearing red shirts GNC either, we took pride and the employees there still take pride in what they do.
But needless to say I told her “NO” and she seemed surprised that in 48 hours I wasn’t a certified personal trainer yet. Can you beleive that shit?
And today my last story because I would like to keep it short so as to not bore you or eat up all thats left of cyber space, because trust me, I sure as hell have alot to vent about on this matter and other experiences dealing directly with it. Today as soon as I came to work I find that I’ve got a new member waiting for me, one that I had no clue would be there. The lady at the front desk sends us both on our way without even filling me in on what I’m getting myself into. So I come to find that this perticular woman is about 40-50 years old, not in any kind of good shape, sedentary and has serious back problems. Red light goes off and I tell her by no means am I a certified personal trainer or doctor. But she doesn’t care she’s here to train damn it. And there I am left alone with this woman with no supervisor around left to the wolves agian.
So I used my best judgement knowing she probably didn’t have clearance from a doctor and sure as hell wouldnt cooperate about that matter.I decided to just run her through basic stretches and have her do that for awhile just to at least limber up her muscles. But she wasn’t having it, she wanted a program. So I did what I thought was best and put her on some light weight machines, weight so light she’s literally just going through the motions just to get her muscles in tuned to what she’s eventually gonna be putting some weight to. And with some advice from my T-mag forum buddy we had her do some other easy abb work and stretches. Well she was content. But I sure as hell wasn’t.
I’m not a moron when it comes to weight training, nor do I pretend to know everything either. Like I said I read t-mag and the forums, and have an excellent mentor to guide me. So at least I have a concept of whats going on, wich I don’t beleive my supervisors or any of the members down there have. Wich feels a little odd. I’m not sure what to do. I don’t want to step on anyones toes and lose my job, but then I don’t want to become so well understood in personal training because I wouldnt be getting paid what thats worth.
So my general idea is that my supervisors are lucky enough I have a bigger brain then what they do. Otherwise I would hate to think what could happen to these people if someone wasn’t there to actually help them out. I hate to think what it was like before I showed up.
Well any opinions or experiences please share with me and let me know I’m not the only one dealing with idiots. Peace!
PM
P-DOG
04/10/03
04:21 AM
CALI, WEST SIIIIIIIIIIIDE!!!
welcome to the fitness industry!!!
PM
irondoc
04/10/03
06:25 AM
Ringtown, Pa.
You did your best. Sometimes i think we get on our high horse, and rightly so about personal trainers. I myself get the same thing with people. they want a program, but they won’t follow through. what I do is give them the links to tmag. If they do the work, I might spend the time. Us docs get criticized for not counseling people on diet and exercise, but people are to lazy to follow through.
I believe in the saying, “when the student is ready, the master will appear”. Until then do your best at babysitting.